Manasra, who works for the Lebanese channel Al Mayadeen TV according to his social media, was injured in the lower back area and was quickly transferred to the hospital. The journalist is recovering well, according to the PJS, which is in contact with him.
Far from being an exception, attacks on local and foreign journalists by the military and Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank are a constant, and they have escalated since 7 October. The PJS documented 49 attacks and 23 threats by Israeli settlers against Palestinian journalists during 2023 in its annual press freedom report.
On 26 November, journalists Firas Lutfi and Raed Al-Helu from Sky News were assaulted with tear gas and unidentified bullets by Israeli forces while covering a prisoner’s exchange from Ofer prison in the occupied West Bank. As the PJS’ video shows, they were duly identified with press-vests
On 15 December, Israel’s security forces assaulted and severely beaten Anadolu Agency photographer Mustafa Alkharouf in East Jerusalem.
On 19 December, the PJS reported that local photographer Ramez Awad was hit by Israeli fire while covering a military raid on the village of Jiffna, in the central West Bank.
Since the outbreak of the war, Israel has increased the restrictions of movement it enforces on Palestinian citizens in the occupied West Bank, making life harder for residents and seriously hindering the work of journalists, which poses a grave threat to press freedom.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “We have documented a long history of systematic harassment and abuses by the Israeli army against Palestinian journalists in the occupied West Bank – a situation that has only worsened since 7 October. International institutions must redouble their efforts to end this climate of violence and impunity and ensure that the perpetrators of attacks against journalists are held to account”.
To date, at least 102 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, according to IFJ data.